Children in Crisis

UNICEF has never been needed by so many children. Today, harsh and unrelenting crises are leaving millions of children exposed to hunger, violence, disease and abuse.

This year alone, UNICEF has already responded to cyclone after cyclone in Fiji, witnessed the strongest earthquake Ecuador has seen in decades and been on the ground for children as the Syrian conflict entered its sixth brutal year. As conflict and extreme weather force growing numbers of children from their homes, our teams and supplies are stretched to the limit.

UNICEF needs you now more than ever. Together we can reach children in crisis with lifesaving nutrition, clean water and medical supplies.

Some of the world’s biggest crises never make the headlines but UNICEF is responding to these silent emergencies right now, working to protect and support children who could otherwise be forgotten.

Food crisis in East and Southern Africa

Though seemingly unheard of in Australia, there is a crisis of mammoth proportions occurring in East and Southern Africa.

A historic El Niño weather event is intensifying the region’s worst drought in decades. Failed rains and soaring temperatures are wreaking havoc on children's lives and the situation is only set to get worse - much worse.

“It has killed so many animals and caused so much hunger. Our lives are in danger.”

- Mohamed, 80, Somalia.

Two years old and severely malnourished. This is Nebila’s story.

Nebila (pictured above) is from Ethiopia, one of the many countries suffering extreme food shortages.

Nebila’s 12 year old sister, Zekiya, had to miss school to bring her to a UNICEF-supported health clinic to see a specialist. When the health worker placed a multi-coloured measurement band on Nebila’s arm to assess her level of malnutrition, it easily slipped into the red zone. Nebila’s tiny arm was less than 11 cm around - a sign of severe acute malnutrition.

Untreated, this condition is dangerously life-threatening.

Even with severe acute malnutrition children have a 90 per cent chance of recovery if treated with the right therapeutic food.

Each sachet contains a high protein, peanut-based super food. It doesn’t have to be cooked or prepared in any way, which makes it easy to store, distribute and eat. One sachet costs just 59 cents and all it can take is three sachets a day for three to four weeks to bring a malnourished child like Nebila back to health.

More than 36 million people throughout the African continent will need food assistance in 2016. Many are children like Nebila, who are already severely malnourished from food shortages as the situation grows worse.

Somalia and Malawi are among the countries that have been hit the hardest.

Now, more than ever, we are responding to children in need around the world. And as with all crises, children like Nebila are the first to suffer the life-threatening consequences just because they were born into situations beyond their control.

UNICEF is working to give children:

The emergency therapeutic food and milk they need to survive

Vaccines, first aid kits and essential health supplies

Safe water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to stop the spread of disease

No child should be forgotten. Please reach out to children like Nebila today.

By donating today, you’ll help children in crisis through UNICEF Australia’s directly supported programs in countries like Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea and Myanmar.